Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 23 April 2013
417. Deputy Brendan Griffin asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will rule out the introduction of flat rate domestic water fees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18257/13]
View answer441. Deputy Pearse Doherty asked the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will outline the key milestones in his plans to introduce water charges for residential property; and the dates on which such milestone are planned to be completed. [18722/13]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 417 and 441 together.
The Programme for Government and the Memorandum of Understanding with the EU, the IMF and the ECB provide for the introduction of domestic water charges. The current position is that domestic water charges will not commence before 2014. The Government will be reviewing the timeline for charges with programme partners at the next review of the Programme of Assistance which commences this week. My Department published the Water Sector Reform Implementation Strategy in October 2012. The implementation strategy sets out the high level milestones under the reform programme. The strategy is available on my Department’s website www.environ.ie.
The Government considers that charging based on usage is the fairest way to charge for water and it has decided that water meters should be installed in households connected to public water supplies. The Government has also decided that Irish Water, a new State-owned water company to be established as an independent subsidiary within the Bord Gáis Éireann Group, will be responsible for the metering programme. The Government will assign responsibility for the economic regulation of the water sector, including the setting of charges, to the Commission for Energy Regulation. The primary role of the regulator will be to protect the interests of customers and to ensure a consistent and appropriate level of service is provided to them. An appropriate approach to charging those customers who may not be metered when charges are introduced will be put in place. This will be structured in such a way as to ensure that it represents a reasonable proxy for usage and is fair. The approach to charges for both metered and unmetered properties will be included in a public consultation that will take place as part of the regulatory process.
